Illegal Kodagu bandh by and large peaceful, but inconveniences people

Though the illegal ‘Kodagu bandh’ call given by various organisations on Tuesday was by and large peaceful, it inconvenienced a lot of people as they were stranded across the district.

The all-party Kodagu district bandh was observed to oppose the implementation of recommendations of Kasturirangan committee on conservation of Western Ghats.

According to a report, a large number of passengers were seen waiting at Gonikoppal bus stand to travel to Mysuru, Virajpet and other places in the morning.

Much before the bandh came into effect at 6 a.m., many people travelled in vehicles via Thithimathi to Mysuru and Bengaluru at 5 a.m. However, by 6 a.m, tribals of Majjige Halla, residents of Balumani and Vinayaka Nagara blocked the road by placing wooden logs and prevented the movement of vehicles. This led to an altercation between the passengers travelling to Mysuru and the organisers. With the intervention of the police, the vehicles were allowed to travel.

A Deccan Herald report said the movement of vehicles at Koppa and Sampaje was blocked by the protesters. However, the Superintendent of Police Varthika Katiyar, personally visited the spot and cleared the road to facilitate the movement of vehicles.

The report said a few miscreants had blocked Bhagamandala road by placing wooden logs. However, the SP along with the police personnel visited the spot and cleared the logs.

Barring medical shops, other business establishments had remained closed. The private buses also remained off the road. The KSRTC buses had also stopped its services.